How much does the Hope Diamond cost?

Diamonds have fascinated mankind for centuries, and it is not surprising that some of them are surrounded by numerous evil stories. One of the most impressive gemstones in the world is the Hope Diamond, a beautiful blue gemstone notorious for attracting bad luck to its owners.

The Hope Diamond and the French Royal Treasury.

The Hope Diamond is believed to have been found at the Kollur mine in Golconda, India. Its history dates back to the 17th century, when the rough-cut diamond was first purchased in its original triangular shape and weight of 112,19 carats by the French merchant-traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and was named “Travenier Blue” in honor of its first owner. In 1668, Tavernier sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France, also known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, along with 14 other large diamonds and several small stones. The diamond was recut and obtained by the court jeweler Sierre Pitau, resulting in a stone weighing 67,12 carats. In royal archives, the color of the diamond was described as an intense steel blue and became known as “crown blue” or “French blue.” The “Blue Diamond” was set in gold and suspended from a neck ribbon that King Louis XIV wore on ceremonial occasions. Later, in 1749, the stone was restored by the court jeweler André Jacquemin as a ceremonial decoration for the Order of the Golden Fleece by order of King Louis XV. In 1791, after King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette attempted to flee France, all the jewels of the French royal treasury were taken over by the government, and during a week-long robbery of the Crown Jewels, the blue diamond was stolen in September 1792.

The diamond of hope and the curse of debt.

After being stolen during the French Revolution, the Hope Diamond resurfaced in London in 1812 as a small cut gemstone. The Blue Diamond was documented as belonging to London diamond merchant Daniel Eliason. According to some sources, the French Blue belonged to King George IV, but was sold privately to pay off his huge debts after his death in 1830. The next mention of the owner of the diamond was in 1839 in the catalog of the collection of precious stones of Henry Philip Hope, from whom the stone took its name. After the death of Henry Philip Hope in 1839, the mysterious diamond passed to his nephew Henry Thomas Hope, and then to the nephew’s grandson Lord Francis Hope, who was forced to sell it in 1901 to pay off his debts. The diamond was sold to London dealer Adolph Weil, who quickly resold it to Joseph Frankel’s Sons & Co. from New York, who in turn kept the stone until they needed cash. The Hope Diamond was sold to Selim Habib, who put it up for auction in 1909. Although the diamond was not purchased at auction, it was soon sold to C. H. Rosenau and then resold to Pierre Cartier that same year. In 1910, the Hope Diamond was shown to American mining heiress Evaline Walsh McLean at the Cartier store in Paris. To complete the sale, Cartier had to rearrange the diamond into the headpiece on a three-tiered circle of large white diamonds because McLean didn’t like the original setting. It later became the pendant on the diamond necklace as we know it today. After buying the stone, McLean suffered many misfortunes: her son was killed in a car accident, her daughter died of a drug overdose, then her husband died, and the family was forced to sell their Washington Post newspaper after going bankrupt.

The new “home” of the “Hope” diamond.

In 1949, after McLean’s death, Harry Winston purchased her entire jewelry collection, including the Hope Diamond. Over the next 10 years, “Blue Diamond” was exhibited at many exhibitions around the world by Harry Winston Inc. On November 10, 1958, Winston donated the Nope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, where it remained on permanent display and was removed only four times. For many years, the Hope Diamond was reported to weigh 44,50 carats. However, it was unmounted in 1974 and weighed 45,52 carats. The dark greyish-blue gemstone is classified as a Type IIb diamond, which is typically phosphorescent. It also glows strong red under ultraviolet light. The extraordinary color of diamond is due to the mineral boron. While most natural blue diamonds contain tiny particles of boron, typically less than 0,5 parts per million (ppm), the Hope Diamond has as much as 8 ppm. The story of the curse of the Hope Diamond is more of a moral fable about the cardinal sin of greed, as something bad or tragic happens to almost every person. According to legend, the diamond sparkled on the forehead of an Indian temple until it was pulled out by a thief, the punishment for which was a slow and painful death. It was believed that only a person with a pure heart could avoid the same fate. In this case, “pure heart” meant someone who did not try to sell the gem, but instead gave it away. Thus, the curse ended when Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Natural History Museum. Jewelry is of great importance in our lives. Some symbolize obligations – wedding and engagement rings, others conceal the continuity of generations – family jewels, others store happy memories and remind of important dates. Whatever the decoration, it always becomes a part of our life. Due to their natural beauty and great rarity, jewelry with shining gems is considered the most mesmerizing and alluring. They sell for astronomical prices, and collectors eagerly await auctions to replenish their treasury with a rare curiosity. We will show you the TOP 10 most expensive jewelry in the world. Pictured: L’Incomparable necklace.

1. Hope Diamond – The Diamond of Hope is priceless

Hope Diamond is the most expensive and famous gemstone in the world. The blue diamond, weighing 45,52 carats, is also known as the “Hope Diamond”. It was once valued at $250 million, but experts say the diamond has an extremely high status and enormous cultural value, making it truly priceless. Hope Diamond is kept at the Smithsonian Institution. Washington. USA. Photo: “The Hope Diamond” on display at the Smithsonian Museum. Experts believe that the unusual blue color of the stone is due to the small amount of boron atoms included in its composition. It is these particles that give the rare reddish glow, thanks to which many legends have arisen. You can learn about where the mineral was mined, who owned it and why many believed in its dark power in our article “The History of the Greatest King of Diamonds – Harry Winston.”

2. “A Heritage in Bloom” Necklace – $200 Million

In 2015, Wallace Chan created one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry in the world, the intricate “A Heritage in Bloom” necklace. The design of the piece consists of hundreds of parts: 598 pink diamonds, 10953 small white diamonds and 24 large diamonds. It is these 24 diamonds that are the “heirs” of the Cullinan Heritage diamond. Pictured: Cullinan Heritage diamond. The Cullinan Heritage is a 507,55-carat rough diamond that was discovered in South Africa by diamond mining company Petra Diamonds. At an auction in South Africa in 2010, the gem was bought by Hong Kong jeweler Chow Tai Fook for a record amount of $35,3 million. After a three-year cutting and polishing process, the result was 24 crystal clear and flawless diamonds. Pictured: “A Heritage in Bloom” necklace. Chow Tai Fook wanted to combine all 24 parts into one whole and made a request to Wallace Chan, who soon turned the idea into a real triumph. Indeed, the design of the necklace is striking, as it is inspired by Chinese culture and symbolic features: bats symbolizing good luck and butterflies representing eternal love. The modular piece can be worn in 27 different ways. Although such an exclusive item was valued at $200 million, it is still not for sale.

3. Peacock Brooch – $100 million

London jewelery house Graff has created the stunningly expensive 120,81 carat Peacock brooch, which is worth more than a private jet or an island. In 2013, at the TEFAF art exhibition in the Netherlands, the Peacock brooch was presented to the public for the first time. Pictured: Peacock brooch. The graceful bird design demonstrates the extravagance and beauty of gems. The jewelry features 1305 precious stones – white, yellow, blue and orange diamonds. In the center section is a very rare and fancy 20,02 carat deep blue diamond. This large gem can be removed from a brooch and worn separately as a pendant. The cost of the brooch is 100 million dollars. The location and ownership of the jewelry are not being disclosed at this time.

4. Wittelsbach Graff Diamond – $80 million

King Philip IV of Spain purchased a stunningly beautiful blue diamond for his daughter, Margaret Theresa, who became engaged to the Austrian Emperor Leopold I. After 11 years, Margaret died and the gem remained with Leopold I, who after some time presented it as a gift to his third wife Eleanor Magdalena. The Empress then gave the stone to her granddaughter, Maria Amelia, when she married Bavarian Crown Prince Charles Albert Wittelsbach. Until 1918, the diamond was a decoration of the Bavarian crown, and until the First World War it belonged to the German feudal family of Wittelsbach. Financial difficulties during the Great Depression forced the royal family to put the gems up for auction, but the blue diamond was never purchased. In the photo: Wittelsbach Graff Diamond. In 1958, the stone was exhibited at the World Exhibition in Brussels and was not mentioned in any historical documents until the 60s. In 1962, the Goldmuntz family asked jeweler Joseph Kommer to recut the diamond, but the master recognized its historical significance and refused the job. On December 10, 2008, Wittelsbach Blue set a world record when it was sold at auction for $24,3 million to Lawrence Graff. At that time, the diamond weighed 35,56 carats, but the jeweler decided that it needed to be polished and recut. Soon the stone got rid of chips, scratches and abrasions that had accumulated over many years. So the Wittelsbach Blue diamond not only changed its name to Wittelsbach Graff Diamond, but also its weight. The gem currently weighs 31,06 carats. In the photo: Wittelsbach Graff Diamond. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) graded the diamond as a “fancy deep blue.” The gem is distinguished by a rare blue hue with a slight shade of gray. For many years it was assumed that the Wittelsbach Graff Diamond and the Hope Diamond were mined from the same stone in the Golconda mines because they are very similar. However, scientists at the Smithsonian Institution conducted a thorough study of the two gems and disproved this theory. In June 2011, Lawrence Graff sold the stone to the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa, for $80 million.

5. Pink Star Diamond – $72 million

The Pink Star diamond ring is another piece of jewelry that is included in the list of the most expensive in the world and is estimated at $72 million. The purest pink diamond was once mined in 1999 from the DeBeers mines in Africa and weighed 132,5 carats. It took jewelers 20 months to cut and polish the pink gem. Now its weight is 59,6 carats. In the photo: Pink Star diamond ring. In 2013, Pink Star was auctioned at Sotheby’s. Interest in the stone was so great that the final bid far exceeded the estimated $61 million and rose to $83 million. But, unfortunately, the buyer was unable to pay the amount on time and Sotheby’s kept the stone, valuing it at $72 million. In 2017, Sotheby’s put the Pink Star diamond up for auction for the second time. The stone was sold to the Hong Kong conglomerate Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, which created one of the most expensive jewelry in the world from it.

6. “The World’s First All Diamond Ring” – $70 million

The world’s first diamond ring weighs 150 carats. Over the course of a year, the jewelry masterpiece was developed by the Swiss company Shawish Jewelery under the leadership of executive director Mohamed Chaves. The craftsmen looked for a suitable diamond, processed it, and then turned it into a ring. The result is an incomparable decoration, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere in the world. But such exceptional luxury has one drawback – the size cannot be changed. Pictured: The World’s First All Diamond Ring and the stone from which it is made. The presentation of the ring took place in 2011 at an exhibition in London, where Mohamed Shawish said: “Creating a single ring from a cut diamond has always been a fantasy; it seemed impossible. But we decided to take a risk and take on the challenge. But the “perfect” and completely diamond ring became a real work of art” After its debut at the exhibition, the ring went on tour and even visited Russia. Pictured: “The World’s First All Diamond Ring”. The World’s First All Diamond Ring design is protected by copyright. At the moment, the location of the exclusive jewelry is kept in the strictest confidence, but it is reported that the ring is still waiting for its lucky owner. This luxury is estimated at $70 million.

7. Oppenheimer Blue – $57,5 million

The blue diamond is considered one of the most coveted gemstones, as they account for only about 0,0001% of the world’s diamonds. Pictured: Oppenheimer Blue. Oppenheimer Blue is a blue diamond weighing 14,62 carats. The stone was named after Philip Oppenheimer, who was the owner of the De Beers company and oversaw mining. The history of the gem is still considered a mystery, but it is believed that it was found somewhere in the early 20th century in a mine in South Africa. Further details are unknown, as De Beers has classified its archives. In the photo: May 18, 2016 – Christie’s auction in Geneva. On May 18, 2016, at a Christie’s auction in Geneva, a sparkling Oppenheimer Blue was sold for $57,5 million to a private collector whose identity was not disclosed by the auction organizers. Bidding for the jewel went on between the two participants over the phone for as long as 30 minutes, and the final amount exceeded the preliminary estimate of $38-45 million. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has rated the blue diamond as the “brightest blue” ever sold at auction.

8. L’Incomparable Diamond Necklace – $55 million

The “L’Incomparable” diamond necklace was created by the Swiss and Emirati jewelry company Mouawad in 2012. A year later, in 2013, it was presented to the public at the Doha Jewelry and Watch Exhibition. The jewelry is valued at $55 million and is included in the list of the most expensive jewelry in the world. Pictured: L’Incomparable necklace. The unusual and asymmetrical design is made in the form of vine leaves, on which 91 diamonds weighing more than 200 carats flaunt. At the center of the jewelry creation is the largest known dark yellow diamond, weighing 407,48 carats. In an incredible stroke of luck, this stunning stone was discovered by chance by a young girl in the Congo in the 80s. And now the natural gem heads one of the most expensive jewelry in the world – L’Incomparable.

9. Blue Moon of Josephine – $48,4 million

The Blue Moon story began in January 2014 in South Africa, when Petra Diamonds discovered a 29,62-carat diamond in the Cullinan mine. It took the jewelers 6 months to give the gem a cushion cut. As a result, the blue diamond turned out to be so rare that its physical characteristics were studied by the Smithsonian Institution, and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) awarded it the highest color rating for blue diamonds, Fancy Vivid Blue. On November 11, 2015, Blue Moon was sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva for a record $48,4 million. The flawlessly pure gem, weighing 12,03 carats, was bought by Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau, who renamed it “Blue Moon of Josephine” in honor of his daughter Josephine. Pictured: Blue Moon of Josephine. The pre-sale estimate of the jewelry ranged from 35 to 55 million dollars. According to David Bennett, head of Sotheby’s international jewelry division, the Blue Moon of Josephine diamond set the record for the highest price per carat at $4 million. This verdict instantly placed the gem on the pedestal of the most expensive gems ever sold at auction.

10. Graff Pink – $46,2 million

The Graff Pink is a rare pink diamond that originally weighed 24,78 carats. The stone once belonged to Harry Winston, but in 1959 he sold it to a private collector, who owned it until 2010. Pictured: Graff Pink diamond ring. On November 16, 2010, the gem was sold at Sotheby’s auction in Geneva. The pre-sale estimate of the diamond ranged from 27 to 38 million dollars, but in fact they paid 46,2 million dollars for it. Such a fabulous sum instantly elevated the pink diamond to the category of the most expensive precious stones. The crystal was purchased by British jeweler, billionaire and owner of the jewelry company Graff Diamonds, Lawrence Graff, who gave the name to the gem “Graff Pink”. Rare gems sell for staggeringly high sums, making them arguably the most valuable objects on the planet for their size and weight. In the hands of real masters, natural stones turn into exclusive creations, light up with a mesmerizing brilliance and radiate happiness. You can look at the shining, highly artistic jewelry in the catalog.